The government's inability to accept criticism over its data was akin to the intellectual oppression employed in the past by the German Nazi party, said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said so in a letter to Asian Strategic and Leadership Institute (Asli) president Mirzan Mahathir in a hand delivered letter to the organisation today.

"Such stubborn insistence that the government is always right, faultless and flawless is wrong and is no different from intellectual oppression imposed by the Nazis in Germany that only the official line is the true line even in the face of contrary facts,

"Is there any room for government statistics that are truthful, transparent and reliable if the government can behave in such a high-handed manner as to negate verifiable research not by facts but by emotion and abuse of power?" read the letter.

Lim was referring to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's statement yesterday, where he expressed hope that no one will ever question 'sensitive' government data.

Economic Planning Unit's figure of bumiputera equity ownership was at 18.9 percent. This was challenged by Asli's Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) in a study, which reported that the New Economic Policy's 30 percent bumiputera equity target had been exceeded.

This drew severe severe criticism from Umno's top brass over the past two weeks, and the study was eventually withdrawn by Mirzan who said the study was flawed. Following this, CPPS director Dr Lim Teck Ghee resigned in protest, sticking by the findings of the study.

Clear doubts

Speaking to reporters after handing the letter to an Asli representative, Lim told reporters that Mirzan has yet to show empirical proof that the study was flawed.

"(By doing so) it is like saying that one is guilty without having to prove it. Just because the government says (the study) is wrong, others should not be compelled to follow," said Lim.

Instead, Mirzan should have consulted Asli's international advisory council, which includes among others, Stanford University's Prof William Miller, China Development Institute's Prof Gao Shang Quan, Confederation of Indian Industry Tarun Das and New Straits Times Group's deputy chairperson Kalimullah Hassan.

Asked about Najib's comments that sensitive government data should not be debated, Lim retorted: "Is truth sensitive? We should seek the truth from facts. (It seems) Najib is sensitive to the truth".

While the DAP does not insist that CPPS's study was correct, Lim said it was important for the government to clarify its data and set up an open inquiry on the matter to clear doubts.

Earlier, Lim and his entourage also delivered a bouquet of flowers meant for Dr Lim.

"We wanted to show our appreciation as he took a principled stand of defending independent and non-partisan research... We admire him for his courage and integrity," explained Lim.